Richard
Why have such a dim view of bee keepers.  Our state has a burn for Abf.  However, for you to say not having resistration and inspection causes such out breaks because bee keepers that go to the trouble of getting bees don't do it does not hold water.  Where are these big outbreaks you speak of?  Most of the bee keepers that still have bees after a few years have learned to look at them or they end up with empty boxes.  Nobody says AFB is good but the horror story you spread as a need is not being proved out where all these extra hoops to jump through are not in place.  I guess it depends on how you add cost.  You reconize the cost of an epidemic but refuse to reconize the cost of extra hoops.  If the hoops are not needed cause the epidimic cost have not proved out or have not added up to more, why make beekeeping have more overhead then it needs and less profit potential?

I hear you but on this but don't believe you.  I have a question for you.  The states with the inspections where the commercials can meet the requirements with pretreating with antibiotics so the diseise can not be seen or a back yard guy who has to reconize it on his own, where is the most risk of an epidimic?

Should we make another law (like maybe in germany or austraila, don't remember which) where we destroy all the ferals to get rid of the risk of an unmanaged hive?

If I get ABF, I will burn some hives.  I will do it to protect myself and others.  I won't need you or the state to tell me to protect myself.  I do not need to pay somebody to make me protect myself.  I understand the arguements behind the need but also see that the need is not born out where it is not handled with more overhead and regulation.

The arguement for the need reminds me of my old work place where one guy is on a job that has a risk for eye enjury and rather then fix the job, they put safety glasses on a whole plant incase they might walk by that job.  That way everybody can suffer together.  

My backward state is doing just fine but if you can find me some proof that it has more issues that could be helped with the regulation then where the regulations are, I will sure look at it.
Cheers
gww

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